Ghost Boys

“Jerome Rogers, 12, shot at abandoned Green Street lot. Officer says, 'He had a gun.’” 

This news story reflects the popular, victim-blaming narratives that serve as after-the-fact justifications that law enforcement officers use when their victims are young and Black. This headline leaves out crucial facts, including that the gun was a toy and that Officer Moore had many choices, including not firing as soon as he exited the police cruiser.

“I thought I was bigger. Tough. But I’m just a bit of nothing.” 

Jerome recognizes his own vulnerability as a child as he observes his death from above as a ghost. The smallness of his physical presence causes Jerome to question in this moment whether he truly matters.

“Doesn’t seem fair. Nobody ever paid me any attention. I skated by. Kept my head low. Now I’m famous.” 

Jerome’s self-description here shows his approach to dealing with his family’s expectations and the threats posed by bullies and racial prejudice—he attempted to be a “good boy” who did exactly what he was told to survive. This self-imposed invisibility did not protect him in the end—not from bullies and not from the police. His inability to protect himself as an individual highlights the role of larger, systemic forces in the violence that consumes his life in the end.